


My Head Spins with You long before the Music Starts

by nonbinary_name



Category: Thoros: Tower of Lost Souls
Genre: Dancing, First Crush, Fluff, M/M, Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:35:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonbinary_name/pseuds/nonbinary_name
Summary: Ignis has a lot to think about this morning, and almost all of it revolves around Leo.
Relationships: Leofaren Beltune/Ignis
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2





	My Head Spins with You long before the Music Starts

Dusty motes hazily drifted through the air, lightly illuminated by the first sunbeams of dawn. The inn where the party found themselves staying, wasn’t low-rate per se, but the wooden slats of the blinds probably hadn’t seen a proper cleaning in several weeks.

Leofaren wrinkled his nose at the sight momentarily before returning his attention to his journalling.

Artemis lay on the sofa- her head sandwiched tightly between two pillows in a thus-far futile attempt to block the earth-shattering snores coming from their other companion. The sounds of these had been a constant, sans reprieve, for the past five or so hours and only now was she drifting away into some much needed, _quiet_ sleep.

However, this break for Artemis came directly at the expense of the dragon-like snorer, Ignis. 

Strange dreams had seized him and all but thrown him back into consciousness: A tower of flame and the echo of a grim voice still hummed behind his shut eyelids. 

But even as he wondered at the meaning of these, he was immediately brought back to something _far_ more important- 

His bed, though warmed from his excess body heat, was unmistakably emptier than it had been the previous night. 

Ignis stretched his limbs out for a moment in search. Sprawling fingers and toes and arms and legs all scrabbled against the sleep-worn sheets, and all came back empty, before at last he opened his eyes in concern.

“Leo?” He called. 

Still a bit addled with sleep, it took Ignis a moment to catch sight of his friend busy at the writing desk.

In fairness, the Drow elf hadn’t aided him in his search at all, preferring instead to continue hunching over his work. 

The faint scratching of quill and ink against parchment was all that rang out in response, as Leofaren deigned to neither look up nor give any other outward sign of acknowledgement to his party member.

The near-silence hung about the room a moment before Ignis persisted.

“Leo, are you alright?”

“...I’m _fine._ ” Leo at last answered, his tone clipped and cool. 

_Maybe now isn’t the best time to bother him_ , Ignis thought. _Still…_

“I’m glad you’re OK,” he settled on. And then a moment later, he whispered more to himself than anyone else, “I was worried about you...”

He tried not to dwell on this strange pang he felt while he dressed and readied himself for the day, and once Jada suggested they spar to loosen up, his mood brightened back up considerably. 

All the same, Ignis found himself distracted.

It was strange. He certainly was excited to warm-up with his friend and fellow monk but somehow his eyes kept drifting back to Leo.

_He sure is pretty._

This wasn’t new, of course. 

In fact, it had been one of the first things he’d said to the man when they first met. The memory ran through his mind- Leofaren blushed darkly up to the tips of his ears before stammering an excuse and walking away. 

The thought of it alone brought a smile to Ignis’s face now as they made their way back out into the open morning air. But that only made Ignis feel more confused.

He had never been this _preoccupied_ by someone being so pretty before. Was this normal? 

Ignis knew from experience that worrying would only make his head hurt so he instead turned to combing through different details from last night. There was still so much from the mysterious encountered that eluded him so he tried to go over the basics:

They had all been together at the tavern, when that weird guy showed up.

Leo was scared of him.

That had been reason enough for Ignis to tackle him to the ground, and then everyone was fighting.

The weird guy tried to escape. They gave chase- running and jumping and flying all over town until, at last, they cornered and dispatched him.

Leo had finished him off himself and collected his ashes into a jar.

But before anyone could ask him anything, he just walked back to the tavern without another word.

And then Leo drank more of that angry water… And then he took a nap.

Ignis realized he ought to figure out more about that weird guy, but all he really wanted to do was focus more on Leo. 

Artemis and Jada had unceremoniously dumped the semi-conscious Leofaren onto his back and Ignis had carried him all the way back to the inn, until at last they’d returned safely to their room.

Ignis reminisced about how Leo nuzzled in close against his neck and spoke in sweet murmurings that were utterly lost to him. 

Ignis was still trying to master Common and this new tongue Leofaren giggled and slurred in was beyond him entirely.

He wished it hadn’t been though.

_What was he saying?_

Leo sounded happy, at least, and that realization made Ignis’s shoulders relax as he let out a small sigh of relief. 

He liked it when Leo was happy- and _snuggly_ , like he’d been last night: Absolutely refusing to let Ignis leave, clasping around him tightly and attaching himself like a limpet.

Ignis gave in without a fight. 

He didn’t want to accidentally hurt Leofaren by struggling to get away, so instead, they soon fell asleep together, cuddling in each other’s arms. 

_Yes,_ Ignis decided. 

He _much_ preferred thinking of Leo happy than of when he was angry or scared like he’d been with that strange man.

The memory of that strangled fear etched in Leo’s face in the tavern was enough to turn his stomach and made a bitter taste rise in his mouth.

So he forced himself not to think about that as they walked.

Instead, he looked over at Leo and admired the softness of his hair and how it shined like starlight when it caught in the morning sun. And how this mirrored the freckles on his cheeks and how they looked like stars in the night sky. How those stars were often the only sign of warmth in the cold night of the desert.

How he hoped Leo knew that he brought that same comfort and warmth to him now, but he wasn’t sure.

The notion that he might not see it made Ignis feel sad, but now his mind brought back to him how Leo had tried to hold his hand in the elevator last night.

He had done his best to make sure that he wouldn’t be scared, even though he’s so much slighter in stature that he could do little more than just sort of pet his arm. And while he had been speaking exclusively in his own language prior to this, Leo switched back to Common to whisper encouragements to him- telling him it was OK, that everything was going to be alright, and that he was right here with him. 

...Even at a time when he could barely hold his head up.

The thought of it made Ignis feel warm all over and he told himself that Leo _must_ know how special he was to Ignis- to all of them- if he did things like that.

And this made his heart beat faster.

It was like the exhilaration of battle had come over him, but that couldn’t be- they were just walking right now!

Ignis was confused again. 

Everything about today was confusing. It was all so _new!_

His body was thrumming with excitement and his mind was swimming, and he’d never experienced anything like this before. 

He thought for just a moment that he should maybe say something to the others. Maybe he was sick or whatever was happening to him could be cause for concern…

But he just felt so _good_ this morning!

He couldn’t remember feeling more energized and happy this early in the day and it was all just from thinking about Leo!

And then it dawned on him: Maybe this was a special spell of Leofaren’s. 

Ignis could see that happening. Leo was pretty talented that way… and just _pretty._

He caught Leo’s eye and gave him an excited wave, but the Drow just quirked an eyebrow at him, confused, before giving a shy wave back.

_Hmm…_ _So maybe this isn’t a spell._

But then what was it?

He’d have to worry about that more later, though, because they’d finally reached their destination and their new friend Darius was offering to help Jada and him out with their workout. 

***

After a quick bout, Darius limped back inside and declared both Jada and Ignis the new reigning Champions! And, after an even quicker explanation about what Champions were, Ignis was excited for the new title and his Champions’ breakfast feast.

But then, all too soon, the topic of dancing came up.

Ignis felt a rise of panic in his chest; he didn’t know what dancing was, much less how to do it.

“You should let Leo teach you,” Jada suggested politely.

This made Leofaren look up with a jerk: “Wait, what?” 

However, it didn’t take long before they were all out on the floor.

The band started up with a soft, tinkling melody, and across the room Darius twirled Jada. There was a look of fondness between them that Ignis couldn’t name but they looked very happy together.

He wondered if he could make Leo look happy like that with him with this dancing.

He resolved to do his best to try.

Leo was holding his hand. Ignis had his hand on his waist.

And while he listened to Leo’s instructions dutifully, following the steps and swaying to the beat, he found himself preoccupied once more- with Leo.

All he was. All he could be. 

And all that, maybe, Ignis could be to him.


End file.
